Channing Tatum, seen in 'Side Effects,' will be a special guest at the Oscars and a guest on Jimmy Kimmel's after-Oscars special. Photo credit: Barry Wetcher/Courtesy Open Road Films/MCT
The Daytona 500 will be more closely watched than usual to see if Danica Patrick can make history. The coverage starts at 1 p.m. Sunday on Fox.
The Oscars must fight zombies and viewer boredom with a telecast that starts at 8:30 p.m. Sunday on ABC. The producers have installed “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane as host and will play up the music. Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey and Adele will sing. The telecast will salute the James Bond film franchise and recent musicals. The presenters include Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Fonda, Kristen Stewart, Kerry Washington of “Scandal” and Jennifer Garner. But will all those list-like speeches hold viewers’ attention?
“The Walking Dead,” at 9 p.m. Sunday on AMC, could do some real damage to the Oscar ratings. The zombie drama delivers a riveting episode about Andrea’s conflicted feelings: Does she stick with the devious Governor or help her old friends at the prison? The episode is especially moving in the quiet moments, when Scripture is recited and a character starts singing.
ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel will offer an after-Oscars special Sunday after late local news. Jamie Foxx, Channing Tatum and Robin Roberts will be guests. Kimmel also unveils ”Movie: The Movie Twovie” with Bradley Cooper, Jessica Chastain, Jude Law, John Krasinski, Samuel L. Jackson and many other actors.
Roberts will get a workout this weekend. She details her comeback from a bone-marrow transplant in a special “20/20″ at 10 p.m. Friday. She also will be working the red carpet at the Oscars for “Good Morning America.” ABC’s red-carpet special, at 7 p.m. Sunday, will feature Lara Spencer, Jess Cagle, Kristin Chenoweth and Kelly Rowland as hosts. Chenoweth is scheduled to close the Oscar telecast in a musical number with host MacFarlane.
CBS says hooray for Hollywood with the special “Vanity Fair’s Hollywood” at 10 p.m. Saturday. The program features Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck, Halle Berry, Emma Stone and Kerry Washington. One segment looks back at the movie “Pulp Fiction.” CBS shifts “48 Hours” to 9.
CBS pulled “The Job” after two airings and brings back “Undercover Boss” at 8 p.m. Friday. Then “CSI: NY” offers its season finale at 9 on CBS. If you’re a fan of Gary Sinise, Sela Ward and this series, you’re advised to tune in, because this could be the end.